Abstract
Palestine came under the British Mandate soon after World War I, and has been under Israeli occupation since 1948. Occupation in all its forms has deeply affected many aspects of the Palestinian society. This political reality has crippled the establishment of a national state that would otherwise take responsibility for the welfare of its citizens, and has created a community of refugees that comprise one-third of the total population of Palestine (Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics [PCBS] 2011). As a result of this occupation, the Palestinian economy has lost access to 40 percent of its West Bank land, 82 percent of its ground water, and more than two-thirds of its grazing land. In addition, Israeli security measures imposed on the mobility of all Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have limited the work force, leaving many Palestinians little choice except to work in Israeli labor markets, mainly in the construction of Israeli settlements. These measures have a far-reaching and devastating impact on Palestinians' welfare. According to the PCBS (2011), the total distribution of poverty among Palestinian households in Palestine was 21.4 percent in 2010, of which 22.8 percent was among households with children. In addition, the total unemployment rate in Palestine in 2010 was 25.7 percent, with 18.3 percent in the West Bank and 38 percent in the Gaza Strip (PCBS 2012). Finally, the West Bank barrier, currently under construction by Israel, has further disturbed both the economy and the lives of thousands of Palestinian families. The situation has been further aggravated by a sharp drop in foreign aid, which for years provided a vital support to many Palestinians.